Ring-compressing tool



May 18 1926.

H. J. LESLIE ETAL.

RING COMPRESSING TOOL Filed Dec. 22, 1924 nm ATTORNEYS Patented May 18,Q. i M

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Y HARRY J'. LESLIE AND 'EARL BABY, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

RING-COMPRESSING TOOL.

Application filed December 22, 1924. Serial No. 757,501.

The present invention relates to ringcompressing devices, withparticular reference to appliances for use in retaining piston ringscompressed within the grooves of the piston, during the operation ofinserting the piston and ring assembly into the bore of the cylinder.

' Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to devise apractical, simple and easily operated tool for compressing and retainingthe rings within the piston grooves and adapted to be maintainedlatchedin this spring compressing relation without attention on the partof the operator for this purpose,so that the hands of the operator may,if desired, be temporarily free for other operations incidental to theassembly of the pistons within the cylinders.

It is further sought to provide a device of this character which will beadjustable to a certain extent for use with piston rings of varioussizes, and adapted to exert a practically uniform pressure all aroundthe rings, and *tol facilitate the insertion o-f the piston and ringassembly in a direction coinciding substantially with the axis vof thecylinder.

In carrying out the invention in practice, we make use of a spring metalconstruction comprising ring engaging segments which 30 are adjustablefor dierent sizes of rings, and provided with a compressible handle foractuating the segments into riiig-clamping position, this handle beingprovided with -a keeper element movable along the handle for eitherreleasing or compressing the saine and retaining the parts in theirring-clamping position. With the foregoing general objects in view, theinvention will now be described by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, illustrating one form of constructionwhich we have devised forembodying the proposed improveinents, after which those features deemedto be novel will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure l is a lplan View of a tool constructed inaccordance with the present invention, and illustrated inl expandedposition ready for application to a piston;

F igure 2 is a side or edge view of the same;

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the device applied to the piston inring-clamping position; Y

Figure 4 is a side view of the parts illustrated in Figure 3, andillustrating the operation of inserting the piston ring assembly withina cylinder;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view,

showing one of the spring-clamping segments of the tool before the guideloops have been secured thereto; and Y Figure 6 is a detail sectiontaken on the line VL-VI of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail,A this illustrates the improvedappliance as made from a band of spring metal which has been suitablyshaped to provide a handle portion 7 oppositely bowed as shown inFigures l and 3, and terminating in ring engaging and clamping segments8, the free end portions of which are arranged in overlapping relation,as illustrated in .the same views, in order to provide adjustments oflinger extension 8 projects at an angle to y the adjacent portion of theattached segment 8, and is of a-slightly less pronounced curvature, asshown in Figure 5, so that when secured by the loops 9 to the segment 8,indengageinent therewith throughout the length of said extension 8, theend portion of the latter which is attached to said extension isYsubjected to a slight straightening tendency by the action oftheextension 8', as will be readily understood. Since the-curvature of bothof the ring-engaging segments 8 is normally the same, the projection ofthe free end of one of them through the guide loops 9 of course causesthe same to be embraced with ,fa friction grip, thereby holding theconnected parts of the ring-engaging segments' against anyy casualdisplacement or 'alteration of its adjustment yexcept at such times asthis adjustment is purposely valtered by the workman. One of thering-clamping segments may be graduated, if desired, yas indicated at10, to denote the dierent sizes to which the tool may be adjusted for agiven range of ring sizes. l

The handle portion of the tool is provided with an interior springmember l2, bowed tion Tis a loop or keeper member 15 formedA withfinger-engaging extensions 15 and havinga ci'oss bar lti'extendingthrough the handle. and adapted, by engagement With the extreme endthereof, to prevent any complete disengagement o't'- the member 15' fromthe handle. It is apparent that by moving the loop or keeper 15 out tothe extreme end ofthe handle as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,thespring tension of the tool' is released, as required for removing thetool trom clamping engagement with the piston;

Whereas, by forcing the loop or'heeper 15 to the opposite end ofthehandle, asshoivn in Figures 3 and 4', thel handle is compressed, therebycorrespondingly compressing the ringeclamping segments 8 into tightlyclamped relation to the rings 14, as required forholdingthelattercompressed Within the grooves ofthe pist-on, in theusual manner preliininary'to inserting the piston and ringassembly'ufithin tlie bore 1.7 of the cylinder 18, as seen in Figure Ll.Preferably, the under side of thev handle' 7v is undercut, asillust-rated' atv 20 in Figures 2 and l', so that the ineinberl maybexinoved into handlecoinpressing position WithoutV any intererencebeingoffered by the cylinder head (see Figure fl).

It Will thus be apparenttliat We have devised' a practical, simple andvery efcient device for carrying out theY proposed objects of theinvent-ion. In practice, it is common toV locate the split piston` rings14 in Staggered relation, that is Witlrtheir butt joints at differentpoints around the surface or' the cylinders, so that it quite oftenhappens that one of thesejoints Will come opposite tliegap left. betweenthesegments 8 at the pointv Where they are attached to the handle 7. Ifthe butt ends of' the rings come at this point, itis quite natural thatthey Will prevent the ready insertion of the piston Within the cylinder,oii'accouiit ofV projecting outside the pistongroove: butin the presentconstruction the tool Will prevent any7 projection ofv the ringoutsidetlie groove, since the spring member 12 ivill engage the ring 11iat'tliis point and Will operate automatically,.on compression of the;handle 7 by the movement' of' the loop or keeper member 15, to engageand force the ring Within the This groove and retain it in said positionduring the operation ot inserting the piston Within the cylinder. ltwill be evident also that With such a construction the pressure exertedupon the ring will be substantially uniiorm entirely around thecylinder, and that thc loop member l5 will be retained automatiailly, bythe spring tension ot' the tool, in the position shown in Figure 3without any further attention from the operator, whose hands are thusleft lrce for other manipulations which may be required in this Work. lnthis connection, it may be further explained that tlieloops 9 preventany tendency of the iing-clamping segments to follovv along with thepiston into the cylinder bore, andl since these loops come opposite themember 15 at the other side of the cylinder, the piston assembly isproperly alined with the axis of the cylinder bore, thus facilitatingthe movement of the piston inV a direct line ivith the cylinder axis.

The improved device has the further advantages of being ol an extremelylight and compact cha actor, with great flexibility which promotes theease oi its operation, and on account ol the absence of any hingejoints, or adjusting clamps or screws, there is practically nothing toget out oi order in the device, and the'cost oi`iiia1iut'acture of thedevice is correspondingly low. It' is moreover evident by virtue ot thecharacter o'i the material usedin its ii'ianuiiacture, and itssimplicity of construction, the durability of the improved device iscorrespondingly great.

7hile We have illustrated what we now regard as the preferred forni ofconstruction, vre desire to reserve-all rights to malte Whatever changesor modifications may tairlyfall within the scope ot' the appendedclaims.

That We claim is:

1'. A ring-compressing tool comprising a ring-engaging portion composedol spring metal segments having adjustable overlapping end portions, oneoi' said end portions having gnidingmeans tor slidingly engaging theother end portion and exerting a straightening action thereon, a handleportion connected vrith said segments and operative to contract thelatter into spring-coinpressing relation, and a device mounted slidinglyon said handle portion and cooperating therewith to retain said segmentsin ring-clamping relation.

Q. A ring-compressing tool comprising a single piece ot' spring metalforming a handle portionan'd a pair oi; ring-compressing segments havingadjustable overlappingr end portions, a spring element ivitliin saidhandle portion for engagement vvith the riner intermediate saidsegn'ients, andy a device carried by said handle portion Jfor retainingthe parts in ring-clamping relation.

lill

3. A ring-compressing tool comprising a single piece of spring metalforming a handle portion a d a pair of ring-compressing segments havingadjustable overlapping end portions, a band of spring metal within Saidhandle portion .and having its ends secured to the opposite sides of thehandle portions for presenting the intermediate portion of the loa-nd inposition for engagement with the ring intermediate said segments, and adevice carried by said handle portion for retaining the parts inring-clamping relation.

4. A ring-compressing tool Comprising a single piece of spring metalforming a liandle portion and a pair of ring-compressing segments havingadjustable overlapping end portions, a spring element Within said handleportion for engagement with the ring intermediate said segments, and aloop or keeper device sliding-ly carried by said handle portion forretaining the parts oontracted into ring-clamping relation.

In Witness whereof We hereunto aiiix our signa-tures.

HARRY J. LESLE. EARL RABY.

